It is said the veil between the living and dead is growing and that spirits freely roam the earth one day each year: Halloween. How did these ancient beliefs develop into modern customs of trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, and wearing costumes? In this class, Maya Rook of Illusory Time and the History Happy Hour series explores the origins of this spooky holiday and the various cultural traditions that weave together into our present-day celebrations of Halloween.

About the Presenter:

Maya Rook's love of stories of the past began at a young age, and today she strives to share that love and knowledge with others. She holds an MA in American Cultural History from the University at Albany (2010) and a BA with double majors in History and Black Studies from SUNY New Paltz (2007). Her favorite part about teaching history is making the past accessible to the general public and relevant to present concerns, as well as creating a space to explore our understanding of time itself. In addition to teaching, she has a professional background in historical research, writing, editing, publishing, and the non-profit sector.  She is also a certified yoga teacher and leads yoga classes and meditation workshops. Her passion shines in every class, making each event a truly unique experience!

Closed Captioning: Given 48 hours notice, HPL has the ability to offer Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) Services for this event. Please contact Cathy Scarnati at cathy.scarnati@libraryweb.org to make a request.